Batgirl might not have made it to the big screens, but it still managed to bag an award, that of vanishing into thin air.
Warner Bros. had perhaps never been admonished as much as it was when the studio executives announced their decision to cancel Batgirl. The superhero film had been into full motion when this abrupt call was taken to discard it instead as a strategic move for certain corporate operations. The execs didn’t even bother to reflect on how drastically it would impact the directors who’d already put their blood and sweat into the project. And then there were the implacable fans who refused to support this.
However, after all the ugly tidbits that unfurled in the wake of Batgirl‘s cancellation, DC fans gradually recovered from the loss and so did the film’s crew. And as this year comes to an end, The Hollywood Reporter raises a toast to all such insane moments in its 2022 Yearbook.
Batgirl Gets Hailed For Having the ‘Most Unexpected Superpower’
2022 has been a vortex of blissful victories and bewildering scandals for Hollywood.
This year saw the film industry in full bloom as new actors emerged the shimmering threshold of fame and renowned directors gave birth to iconic films. While some celebrities made headlines for their gleaming success, others became popular for a string of wild rumors and brief altercations. An array of epic movies and TV shows managed to have their audiences hooked in front of the screens. But at the same time, many projects incited sour reactions and bitter reviews, and many even got canceled altogether!
Among the controversies that sauntered in the frontlines this year, one name that consistently remained on that list was that of DC Studios, especially its decision to scrap a $90 million film that fans had been anticipating for ages. And THR has wrapped and presented this instance in the most hilarious yet touching way in its 2022 Yearbook.
Honoring this year’s best and worst moments in the most impeccable manner, THR lauded Batgirl for having the ‘Most Unexpected Superpower’ that remains unmatched in front of every other superhero – “her ability to disappear”; just as quickly as it had been brought to life, the film starring Leslie Grace and Michael Keaton also dissipated into sheer oblivion.
Poof! Gone like a magic trick.
The Silver Lining in Batgirl Getting Scrapped
Batgirl already had writers and directors attached to it and an amazing star cast ready to blow the minds of the DC fanbase. Yet, at such a crucial point in the developmental stage, the movie was brought to an unexpectedly drastic halt. Production was paused, filming was shut down, and the movie was ultimately canceled.
But after all that was said and done, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the directors at the helm of the project, received incredible support from a number of revered figures. In the process, their names got carved into the history of Hollywood and their lost work was made up for in the form of genuine recognition.
So Batgirl‘s dissolution wasn’t all bad after all. In fact, the Moroccan filmmakers even claimed that regardless of what went down, they would still be open to working with WB. Granted, of course, the latter doesn’t end up pulling a disappearing act on their films again.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
